The Malaysian Government Had to Assure People That the Coronavirus Won't Turn Them Into Zombies

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

Falsehoods about the novel coronavirus seem to be as contagious as the virus itself.

(February 2, 2020)...Experts believe the epidemic can soon turn into a pandemic, leading many all over the world to panic. This has caused many falsehoods to spread all over social media, including an outrageous one from Malaysia that claims the novel coronavirus will turn patients into the actual walking dead.

Apparently, this rumour gained so much traction in Malaysia, where there are eight confirmed cases, that the country’s Ministry of Health had to address it in a tweet, Channel News Asia reported.

“The claim that individuals infected with this virus will behave like zombies is not true… Patients can recover,” the Ministry tweeted.

A statement by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said that six people have been arrested for spreading fake news about the coronavirus.

This zombie rumour is just the latest episode in fake coronavirus news making their rounds on Malaysian social media. Other puzzling false stories about the issue include a prisoner who suddenly died after eating a mandarin orange supposedly infected by the Wuhan virus.

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I wish we had a law against spreading fake news about the coronavirus. Fat Donnie would be the first person to be arrested.

[jberryhill]

1. You gotta admit, though, that would really make this more interesting

Fending off zombies would sort of mix things up during the day.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

2. The CDC has a better plan for the Zombie Apocalypse than for the coronavirus.

Preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse

[TheBlackAdder]

3. Of course it won't turn them into Zombies. . . They don't have FOX News in Malaysia!